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Friday, January 21, 2011

Jim from Bommarito Wines will be on hand to taste the great wines of Zind Humbrecht.

"I don't know what is more mind-boggling, the quality of Domaine Zind Humbrecht's wines or Olivier Humbrecht's complete dedication to quality. This tall, powerful, and intellectual man may well be the finest winemaker in the world."-- Robert Parker

"Black as a cold winter night, this beer was designed to fit the season instead of conforming to the rules of any style category. The unique blend of seemingly enless ingredients include: toasted hemp seeds, oats, malted rye, wheat, Amarillo and Citrahops and a Belgian yeast strain. Don't be afraid of the myriad of flavors in the balanced black ale as it is deceivingly soft and sessionable especially during te dark days of winter." -- O'Fallon

Petite Sirah has always been a great grape for big flavor and little price....Pennywise is stunning for this price....

2008 Pennywise Petite Sirah....$9.99 / 750ml"With deep purple color, this wine has an exotic aroma of blackberries and smoky bacon which draws you further into the glass. The first sip shows you Petite Sirah’s silky fruit forward flavors of black raspberry, strawberry, and candied blueberries. The second sip shows you the depth of this wine, with notes of tobacco leaf, French roast coffee, and blackberry compote smuggling even more fruit that shines throughout this blend. This is a brilliant berry explosion that holds its ground with round tannins, bacon nuances, and rich French oak.

PairingsThis wine would be fantastic with grilled wild game; venison, wild boar, or pheasant with a blackberry/balsamic glaze and a side of roasted butternut squash. Also try pork loin stuffed with dried figs and tasso ham alongside parmesan-crusted polenta with crispy shallots, or barbeque chicken pizza with smoky gouda."

$59.99 per person, + tax and gratuityAnd for one night only, all St Hallett wines will also be available to purchase for“take home” with special pricing through Mojo Tapas Restaurant and Bar.Make your reservations tonight!

This is from the 2009 version."This year marks the 25th release of Bigfoot®. Our award-winning barleywine boasts a dense, fruity bouquet, an intense flavor palate and a deep reddish-brown color. Its big maltiness is superbly balanced by a wonderfully bittersweet hoppiness." -- Sierra Nevada“…Bigfoot® captures the imagination, and its character is as big as the name implies, with a huge hoppiness in its earthy aroma, a chewy palate, and a great depth of flavor.”– Michael Jackson,Michael Jackson’s Beer CompanionRated 98 percentile on ratebeer.comRated A- on beeradvocate.com (with over 1300 reviews)..What tastes great with Bigfoot?"Intense, malty, and bittersweet, Bigfoot® is wonderful served with dessert. Aromatic notes from the dry-hopping process pair well with chocolate mousse and raspberries or a good-quality cheesecake. If you prefer a more savory taste, try an assortment of sharp aged cheeses, served with fresh fruits like apples, pears, and grapes, which will offer a contrast that will bring all of the flavors together." -- Sierra Nevadacheck out more beer pairings from Sierra Nevada..Beer Geek info:alcohol content 9.6% by volumebittering hops Chinookbeginning gravity 23.0 Platofinishing hops Cascade & Centennialending gravity 6.0 Platodry hopping Cascade, Centennial & Chinookbitterness units 90malts Two-row Pale & English Caramelyeast Top-fermenting Ale Yeast

This is one of those that this might be the only time to get it fresh, since it is the first batch to get here.

"We're pretty sure HopWired is the first bottled new world India Pale Ale made with NZ grown pale ale malt and 100% unique NZ hops. We bet you'll find nothing else like it on the shelves. Although there's plenty of malty sweetness, this beer is all about the hops. But unlike an American IPA, which will mainly challenge you with grapefruity and pine-like flavours and aromas, the kiwi hops used in HopWired produce something more like a tropical punchbowl: Passion fruit, limes, oranges and Sauvignon Blanc grapes to name but a few. A local Marlborough winemaker even said it smelled like gooseberries... Gooseberries? When did you last actually smell a gooseberry?? Decide for yourself, or just enjoy it without further complication. Cheers!" -- brewery

6% ABV"Elemental is our most awarded beer, it has won gold medals in Australia and New Zealand as well as being consistantly rated New Zealand's top beer . Originally the beer of choice for workers in London’s produce markets, the beer was a mixture of the previous nights slops that the "porters" would drink when they clocked off at dawn. Porter is also Andy's all time favourite beer style. Brewed in the modern ‘robust’ style, Elemental Porter is a rich, full bodied brew with plenty of dry, dark chocolate and roasty malt flavours which gradually give way to a cleansing hop-driven finish. And although historically it was a sunrise beer, we think nowadays it is probably more suited to an be served after dinner with desserts and cheese, although if you want to drink it at day break, we're not going to stop you. Cheers!" -- brewery

7% ABV"Multi award winning Stonecutter Scotch Ale is the big, hearty, ‘red wine’ of our range. The Scotch Ale style is believed to have originated in Edinburgh in the 18th century and is colloquially known as "wee heavy" due to its higher strength than its paler siblings.We use nine malts blended together to produce layers of caramel, toffee, liquorice, chocolate and roasty flavours. These layers are balanced by a tart, raisiny fruitiness that gradually gives way to give this dark beer a lingering dry finish. Cheers!" -- Brewery

Rated 98 on RateBeer"Stateside Saison pays homage to old world tradition while celebrating new world innovation. Naturally brewed with the finest European malts & fresh aromatic hops from the United States & New Zealand. It’s then fermented using a classic farmhouse ale yeast and bottle conditioned to enhance stability. The outcome is a beer of unique design and exquisite taste, showcasing some of the best attributes of modern-day craft brewing."Product info: Stateside SaisonStyle: Saison, refermentation in bottleAlcohol Content: 6.8%/vol

Stillwater Cellar Door...$10.99 / 750mlRated 98 on RateBeerOriginally a seasonal ale, but now year round."over the ages the term 'cellar door' has numerously been referred to as the most beautiful term in the English language. upon setting out to create the first summer addition to the Stateside line up of ales; the feeling that almost instantly came to me was that of beauty & cleansing. many summer offerings tend to lack the complexity of their bigger, colder season counterparts; so my goal was to craft an ale of extreme balance with a delicate complexity that allows for contemplation while also providing quaffable refreshment. starting with a base of German wheat & pale malts this crisp slightly hazy foundation was then accented with a blend of Sterling & Citra hops providing a intricate blend of herbal grass & tangerine citrus flavors and aroma. to pull this all together and to complete the 'cleansing' aspect of my vision i gently finished the ale off with a touch of white sage, lending a mild earthy spice character to the blend. of course let's not forget our house saison yeast that brought all the elements together leaving a dry yet intricate finish" -- Stillwater Blog.

Stillwater Atumnal....$10.99 / 750mlRated 92 on RateBeer“This deep amber hued ale takes it’s inspiration from Germany while still nodding to the Belgian farmhouse tradition. The base is comprised of German two-row, wheat, Cara-Munich, and roasted barley. Generously hopped with a blend of Perle, Spalt, and Hallertau Mittelfrüh and fermented with a rustic Belgian farmhouse ale yeast. These elements together provide a melange of earth and fruit aromas backed with hints of caramel with a dry clean finish.”

Mikkeller makes some of our favorite beers and some of the best in the world. If you have not experienced them, we have many in stock now now.

"The story of Mikkeller is the story of two homebrewers that in a few years went from hobby brewing in the kitchen to national and international recognition...Already in Mikkellers first year as a brewery (2006), the two creators, Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and Kristian Klarup Keller, were named Danish brewery of the year and the fifth best brewery in the world by http://www.ratebeer.com/." -- Mikkeller

Mikkeller It's Alive!....$12.99 / 750ml

"It's Alive! is Mikkellers answer and tribute to the trappist beer Orval. It's Alive is an easy-to-drink beer, with a lot of hops. The colour is amber, the foam is high, white and dense. The potent Brettanomyce culture makes It's Alive continue to develop in the bottle." -- Mikkeller

Mikkeller Draft Bear...$13.99 / 750ml

"A Danish pilsner is typically characterized by an alcohol content of 4,6% vol., piss-yellow colour and a sexless, slightly bitter taste. But it doesn’t have to be like this…! Draft Bear is Mikkellers interpretation of a ’pilsner’, heavyweight-style. With its powerful hop notes, high alcohol content and lovely golden appearance, the only reference to the pilsner style is the clean taste of the lager yeast." -- Mikkeller

Mikkeller Big Worse Bourbon Barrel Edition....$12.99 / 12.7oz"Incoming are two versions of Mikkeller Big Worse Barleywine: Red Wine Barrel and Bourbon Barrel. The two brews will ship in about three weeks according to Mikkel. There will be around 100 cases of Red Wine Barrel and 200 cases of Bourbon Barrel. Each beer is aged in second-use barrels for approximately eight months. The beer weighs in at 12% ABV and is packaged in 375 ml bottles (and imported by the Shelton Brothers). [Ed. note: the Bourbon Barrel version is different from the 19.1% ABV Big Worst Bourbon Barrel Barleywinepreviously released.]" -- Beernews.org

This is the info from his website about the previous edition.

"It all started with the Big Bad Barley Wine. Then came Denmark's strongest beer Big Worse Barley Wine which is now released in a barrel aged edition. Big Worse Barrel Aged is at the top of evolution. It does not nor should it get any crazier than this. With an ABV of 19,1 this beer is about as strong as it gets without freeze distillation. Lots of sugar, hops, barrel and alcohol. In other words, a beer for pirates "

Here is a list of their beers....Pale Seriessome would say we have an absurd passion for the pale... and they'd be rightDBA (Double Barrel Ale)Pale 31Union JackSeasonal Beerslight and refreshing in the warmer weather, dark and rich in the winterSolaceVelvet MerlinOaktoberfestProprieters Reserve Seriesour most limited barrel aged beersAbacusDouble JackFourteenParabolaWalker's Reserve

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Made from 100 % Pinot Noir grown in the Alsace region of France. This Pink sparkler has a light salmon color with tiny pinpoint bubbles. It is surpisingly full bodied and shows off strawberry and cherry aromas and a excellent finish that keeps you wanting more. It is fermented completely dry and is a great food wine.

"In an exercise of humanitarian charity and to demonstrate just how very much we care about our friends, North Coast brewmaster, Mark Ruedrich, has just now released an exceptional batch of 2009 Old Stock Ale that has been aged for 18 months in oak Bourbon barrels. In this latest example of the cunning of his hand, Brewmaster Ruedrich has set new standards for the brewers’ art. To say that it’s amazing would be an understatement. Look for Old Stock Cellar Reserve in the special decorated bottle, as they say, wherever fine beers are sold. There’s not much, and it will go fast, so be vigilant." -- brewery

This is a great value in 2009 Bordeaux, it is produced just across the Dordogne River from Saint-Emilion and it is reminiscent of St. Emilion (except it has a much better price). It is new world style in the sense that it is fresh, fruit forward and low tannins. The difference is that it does not see any oak (new or old) like most new world wines.

This wine is loaded with red fruits, a great richness and a long finish. This wine is for enjoying young and over the next 5 years.